


Traditions

by parttimehuman



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:00:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28426668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parttimehuman/pseuds/parttimehuman
Summary: Leading a normal, human life was hard even before Christmas came around. One Dunbar-Geyer family tradition in particular has Theo doubting himself. Has he been fooling himself thinking he could be part of a family? And how is Liam going to convince him of the opposite?
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 25
Kudos: 73
Collections: Thiam Holiday Gift Exchange 2020





	Traditions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BoysWillBePups](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoysWillBePups/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Been Thinking You Should Probably Stay](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27679133) by [BoysWillBePups](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoysWillBePups/pseuds/BoysWillBePups). 



> This story is for Jas. Thank you for allowing me to work within your universe. I hope you had happy holidays and I wish you a wonderful new year! 🎁🎊✨
> 
> I read Jas' stories [Everything's Growing In Our Garden](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27359656) and [Been Thinking You Should Probably Stay](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27679133/chapters/67736387) for inspiration. You don't need to have read them before you read this one, but they're wonderful and I recommend doing so anyway.

**December 16**

You would think that, by the time the end of the year approaches, Theo has gotten used to life in the Dunbar-Geyer household. Even Theo himself believes it most of the time, but that doesn’t mean Liam, his mother Jenna and his stepfather David can’t still confuse the hell out of Theo. On a Wednesday afternoon in mid-December, all three of them suddenly seem determined to do so. 

“Boys, are you ready?” Jenna calls from downstairs. 

“Coming!” Theo hears Liam’s muffled voice, followed by thudding footsteps in Theo’s direction. A moment later, the door to Theo’s bedroom, previously Liam’s family’s guest room, is ripped open.

“What are you waiting for?” Liam asks with bright eyes and a big grin on his face, looking like an excited little puppy. The whole house smells like joyful anticipation; a scent that Theo’s only recently gotten truly familiar with. 

“An explanation, mostly,” Theo answers. 

“I told you not to make any plans for today.” 

“And I didn’t,” Theo says, “but I’m going to need a little more context here.” 

Liam rolls his eyes as if Theo’s being the ridiculous one. “Fine. Today we’re going tree shopping.”

“Tree shopping?” Theo asks. It takes him a moment to remember that Liam and his family live a normal, human life, which very likely contains the celebration of Christmas. “Oh. You mean Christmas tree shopping.” 

Liam makes a face like it should have been obvious all along, turns on his heels and heads towards his waiting parents. Theo, who can’t remember ever going out to buy a Christmas tree, can’t deny that he’s curious. It’s mundane experiences like this one that have left the biggest impression with him since he moved in. He follows Liam, meeting three pairs of impatiently waiting eyes in the hallway, so Theo hurries into his boots and coat. 

“Honey, it’s cold outside,” Jenna says, grabbing the beanie Liam’s grandma knit for Theo and pulling it over his ears. He would never let anybody else do this for him, but he’s helpless against Jenna’s combination of strictness and motherly love, especially considering that it looks the same when it’s directed at Theo as it does directed at Liam, her actual son. 

At least a dozen times, Theo has passed the various places in town where people sell fir trees in all shapes and sizes, but he’s never stopped at one to look around, let alone buy an actual tree to take home. It seems a bit strange, considering that there are hundreds, maybe thousands of trees in the preserve not far from the Dunbar-Geyer house where they belong. 

“Okay,” Jenna says, “you have twenty minutes tops. Pick whichever you like. The only rule is that it has to fit inside the house. Go.” 

Theo turns around abruptly, staring at her. “Wait. Why am I picking the tree? Shouldn’t that be a joint decision?” 

“You’re picking  _ your _ tree, Theo. Liam, did you not explain this to him?” 

“Explain  _ what  _ to me?” Theo wants to know. What does she mean,  _ his  _ tree? How many trees are they buying? In a flash of horror, Theo pictures himself spending Christmas in the backyard with his own sad little tree while Liam and his parents are inside the house, sitting around a beautifully decorated one exchanging gifts and singing carols. 

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” Liam defends himself. “Okay, so this is our family tradition, Theo. It started years ago, because Mom and David couldn’t settle on a Christmas color theme. Now, you may believe that it had something to do with me being childish and stubborn and having bad taste, but I need you to know that it was all them, not me.” 

Jenna rolls her eyes, but David shrugs and whispers, “He’s not lying this time.” 

Liam continues, “They bought two trees that year. One ended up in the living room, and the other one in the corner by the dining table. Once I was old enough, I obviously wanted my own, which made it three.” 

“Let me get this straight,” Theo interrupts. “Every year, you buy three Christmas trees because you can’t agree on the decorations?” 

“It’s about expressing your individual style, Theo,” Liam says. 

“No, it’s about mine being the most beautiful,” Jenna counters, “but you’ll see that soon enough.” 

“It’s just something silly we like to do. It’s fun,” David adds. 

“This year, we’re going to have four trees,” Liam says. “There’s a ton of lights and garlands and ornaments and stuff in the attic at home, but you’ll get the same fifty-dollar Christmas market allowance as me so you can shop for new decorations if you want.” 

“I… really?” They’re giving Theo fifty freaking dollars to buy more Christmas decorations on top of all the decorations they already own so there can be four entire trees in their home? The madness of it all renders Theo speechless for a moment. 

“Yes, of course.” Both Jenna and David nod. And here Theo was, thinking he’d seen it all. 

“Any further questions?” Liam asks, raising an eyebrow at Theo, clearly waiting for the go-ahead for the tree-hunt. 

Theo has so many questions, but there’s no point in asking any of them right now. “Not at the moment, no.” 

  
  


“Awesome,” Jenna says, “your twenty minutes start now.” 

And with that, they all go off in different directions. Theo has not the slightest idea which might be the general characteristics of a good Christmas tree, but he’s naturally competitive, so he isn’t going to waste his twenty minutes. Since the human part of him is utterly overwhelmed, he lets the animals inside him take over, closing his eyes in order not to flash his brightly yellow irises at anyone. Why not let wolf and coyote sniff it out? 

* * *

  
  


**December 20**

“Are you seriously still not letting me in?” Liam complains. He’s posed the same question daily since the Christmas tree shopping tour that has changed Theo’s life and the way he sees the family that he lives with. He’s also been knocking for about ten minutes and Theo is fairly convinced that he tried to pick the lock the day before. 

“You are correct,” Theo answers through the door. 

“You can see mine too, it’s not a secret,” Liam offers. 

Theo looks at the tree in the corner of his room. Liam put his own up in the living room when they came home after buying them. Theo still isn’t over the amount of money that was spent that Wednesday for something as ridiculous as four slightly differently shaped but altogether quite similar looking fir trees. Jenna’s is in the dining room, but she put up a sheet in front of it before she started decorating. David is working on his tree in the garage. Liam hasn’t tried to conceal anything and the current state of his tree is not a secret. But that of Theo’s is. 

Theo looks at it again before he shakes his head and averts his eyes. His stupidest secret for sure, but still a secret. 

“Go away,” he says, although the thought of some alone time with Liam, maybe a movie and cuddles, seems tempting. “I have work to do.” 

“Come on, Theo, it’s Christmas!” Liam whines. There’s a thud and the smell of Liam’s frustration. He definitely just banged his head against Theo’s door. And Theo definitely wants to press a kiss to the forehead of his adorably stubborn boyfriend. But he has work to do indeed, even if it’s a kind of work he would never tell a living soul about. 

“Sorry,” he apologizes, turns around in his desk chair and opens the laptop Mason insisted he take because it was an old one and Mason presumably didn’t have use for it anymore. The countless tabs concerning Theo’s research are still open. He tried googling “how to decorate a Christmas tree” first, hoping to find something simple. He doesn’t need his tree to be positively outstanding, he just needs it to look not negatively outstanding enough for Jenna to worry about him on Christmas of all days. 

There was way too much information. At this point, Theo has read about color theory, the Christmas traditions of at least fifteen different foreign countries, how to make sustainable tinsel at home, the best strategies to keep cats out of the tree, why glossy Christmas tree balls are prettier than matte ones, and a whole lot of other things he’s never wanted to know and already forgotten. 

_ How hard can it be,  _ is what Theo thought when he first started. But there seem to be countless different things you can put on a Christmas tree: lights, lametta, straw stars, ornaments made of glass, wood, porcelain or even paper. Fake snow, snowflakes and icicles. Candy canes, bows, dried orange slices. Tiny toys and figurines. Santa hats. Glitter - there seems to be no limit to the amount of glitter and sparkle. 

_ Even if you’re set on a particular color scheme or style, or you have  _ [ _ ornaments _ ](https://www.elledecor.com/shopping/g28834279/gold-christmas-ornaments/) _ you can’t wait to use, your tree should reflect your taste and personality no matter which direction you go in,  _ says a website that offers pictures of sixty-four different trees for inspiration. 

Up until that moment, Theo thought his taste and personality were best reflected through a bad boy image paired with a good haircut and a dazzling smile, but how is he supposed to translate that into Christmas decorations? An alarmingly thin white lady on YouTube leads him through her home where the tree in the children’s lounge - whatever the hell that is - has a unicorn theme and Theo can’t make out even the smallest fleck of green beneath a whole lot of pale pink cotton candy. He closes YouTube and thinks it’s for the best. 

“This is so stupid,” Theo mutters under his breath, getting up from his chair. He strains an ear for Liam’s heartbeat, locating it in his own bedroom and not still in front of Theo’s door, which lets him know that it’s safe to leave the room. Very obviously, his research won’t get Theo any further. It’s too theoretical, and while he believes himself intelligent, he’s probably more the practical type.

In the living room, Theo finds most of the decorations the Dunbar-Geyers own. There’s a string of lights that he can’t figure out how to switch on, so he puts it back. Since David has already taken more than half of everything blue and silver, Theo makes sure to stay away from the rest. He wouldn’t want it to look like he’s copying someone else’s tree. The pink and red are a little too bright for his taste. There’s a box with purple things he’d find pretty if they didn’t sparkle so obnoxiously. And when a little Santa Clause starts playing music upon being touched, Theo gently puts it back and retreats. Maybe there’s something better still in the attic. If nobody has gotten it yet, at least he knows nobody else intends to use it. 

The attic, Theo realizes, is a wonderland. He’s only been there once before, and back then he was supposed to be helping Liam. Neither did he have enough time nor did he feel at home and welcome enough to really take a look around. After all, the attic is filled with personal belongings, mostly of the past. Parts of stories Theo hasn’t been told yet. Stories he wasn’t there to be part of. 

For example, he doesn’t know who the guitar belongs or belonged to, or how old Liam might have been when he had ice skates. Sure, the dim space is filled with old-fashioned or broken furniture, spider-webs and dust, but it’s also full of memories. If someone wanted to know about Theo’s life before the present day, they would have to ask him about it and hope for tiny shreds of truth in between made-up stories. If someone wanted to know about Liam, they would simply have to pay a visit to the attic. 

It’s like the great Liam-Dunbar-museum. Theo flips through elementary school art folders and middle school report cards. He skims through books with only pictures, books with single simple phrases in gigantic letters, books with first little stories, books with pages torn out or scribbles and doodles added in between paragraphs. There are comic books and Lego pieces and beheaded barbies, stuffed animals with missing limbs and pajamas with superheros printed on them. Several sets of lacrosse gear can be found, and one of the helmets has Theo genuinely curious about the story behind it. Either Liam got very angry at some point, or he got someone else very angry. Either way, his helmet looks like it received a bashing with a lacrosse stick.

Eventually, Theo stumbles upon the remaining Christmas decorations, although he has to admit that he’s already forgotten what he came to the attic for. As it turns out, the last box contains exclusively self-made decorations. Theo digs around for a bit and finds a walnut, the two halves glued to a piece of cardboard painted golden. His best guess is that it’s supposed to be a star. Theo is sure Liam was a cute kid, but not one with a great artistic talent. 

As happy as he is about the time he spent in the attic taking a little journey through Liam’s past, Theo returns with empty hands and is none the wiser concerning the tree he needs to decorate. Which means that there’s only one thing left to do: Wait until everyone’s asleep at night, sneak out of his room and take a secret look at all the other trees, then use whatever is left in the boxes in the living room to create something not too alike yet not too different. It seems stupid, but so does not being capable of doing this on his own.

Content that he’s successfully made his problem future-Theo’s problem and is therefore, if only temporarily, rid of it, Theo knocks on Liam’s door before he sticks his head inside. 

“Hey you, wanna play video games for a bit?” 

“Finally,” Liam sighs, smiling brightly, “I was going to die of boredom.”

Theo closes the door behind him, picks up two controllers and lets himself fall onto the bed next to Liam. “Drama queen,” he mutters. Thankfully, Liam has no idea of the irony of him saying this when he’s planning to commit Christmas tree related espionage the very same night. 

* * *

  
  


**December 24**

“This might be the best dinner I’ve had in my entire life,” Theo says before he shovels another spoonful of it into his mouth. He tries to look civilized when he’s at the table with Jenna and David, but sometimes his love for Jenna’s home-cooked meals overcomes him. 

“Sweetheart,” she says with a smile, “I’m glad you’re enjoying it. But leave some room for dessert.” 

“Dessert goes into an extra stomach,” Liam points out with his mouth fuller than it should be while talking. “Everyone knows that.”

“I’m no doctor,” Jenna tells him, “but I’m very certain the dessert stomach is a myth.” 

“I  _ am  _ a doctor,” David adds, “and I know for a fact it is.” 

“Just because you don’t have one,” Liam replies, “doesn’t mean I don’t. They’re almost exclusively found in teenage boys.” 

“So I have one too?” Theo asks. “Sweet.” 

“You two are really something,” Jenna says, but there’s a warmth in her voice and smile on her face that let Theo know she loves them both dearly, and no amount of bullshit told at the dinner table can change that. “I hope you’re ready for the big reveal tomorrow.” 

“The big reveal?” Theo asks, and everyone turns their heads in his direction like he’s supposed to know what is going on in all of their minds. 

“It’s Christmas,” David says when nothing happens. 

“They’re talking about their dumb trees,” Liam explains, finally providing some real information. 

“Oh,” says Theo, while thinking,  _ Shit. _ “Right,” he adds, although nothing is  _ right.  _ “Almost forgot.” More like, hoped everyone else would forget. “Of course I’m ready.” But really, he’s  _ fucked. _

There won’t be a big reveal for Liam, who’s had his tree finished for three days and not hidden in any way. Jenna and David have been making sure each of theirs remains a surprise because, for some reason Theo doesn’t pretend to understand, they’re obsessed with this strange tradition. Theo’s tree is safely hidden from everyone’s eyes, but it’s not like there’s anything to see anyway. It was the most simple, human task, and he’s failed. He’s not ready. Not for any big reveal, maybe not for Christmas, possibly not even for this family he’s been telling himself can be his. 

Extra stomach or not, Theo barely eats any of the dessert, although it looks fantastic. It’s made with spiced cookie crumbs, mascarpone and raspberries, and if his stomach wasn’t in knots over a damn tree, he would love it. Liam tries to hold hands under the table, and it’s appreciated, but not even that can lift Theo’s mood entirely. 

Theo helps clear the table but excuses himself right after, head spinning with different scenarios that are somehow all the worst case, although that shouldn’t technically be possible. He made a panicked purchase at the Christmas market after he went spying on the other trees and didn’t think it helped him at all, but he doesn’t know how convinced he is. For more than a week now, every moment of failure has only led him to postpone the struggle, but what now? Now there’s only one night left. Theo feels stupid and small and like a fool at the wrong place. 

“What the  _ hell _ is going on with you, Theo?” 

Before Theo can disappear into his room that really isn’t his room at all, Liam grabs him by the arm, spins him around and pins him against the wall. 

“Nothing,” Theo growls, but he knows he’s gotten worse at masking his scent, or Liam has gotten better at reading it, or both. He can’t seriously pretend like nothing’s wrong and expect Liam to let it go. It’s the one downside of a werewolf boyfriend. 

“You smell awful,” Liam says, “no offence. You’re sad. And scared. Why are you scared in my house?” 

Theo shakes his head. He’s been trying the honesty thing. He knows better than to expect judgment from Liam by now. But there are things Liam won’t understand because he’s still a normal kid. Things that don’t make sense to a normal person when you say them out loud. Things like,  _ ‘Hey, I’m having a personal crisis over a Christmas tree I’m supposed to be decorating because I’m finding this task much harder than it has any right to be and now I’m questioning my capability to live a human life.’ _

“This is not something I can explain to you, Liam,” Theo tells him. 

Liam loosens his grip. “Fine,” he says, although it’s evident that he’s not fine with it. He pulls Theo into his room with him, kicking the door shut. “Don’t tell me the reason, then. Just tell me how to fix it.” 

“You can’t fix this, Liam.” 

“I can try.” 

“I know you’re trying to prove to me that you’ll be there no matter what and that you’ll never judge me and all those things you’ve said to me, but it’s not that simple, okay? You think you just have to try hard enough, but that’s not how it works, and I need you to understand that. Just let it go.” 

Liam doesn’t need to say no. Theo can tell from the look on his face what he’s thinking. 

“Is it because it’s Christmas tomorrow?” Liam asks.

Theo shakes his head. Damn it, when exactly did it become so difficult to lie to Liam? “Yes and no.” 

“Is it Mom and David?” Liam wants to know. “I can tell them to cool it. I actually did, in fact, but I’m not sure they got it. Mom bought a huge present for you. I don’t know what it is, but it’s gigantic. Oh shit, I probably shouldn’t have told you that. Well, now you won’t be so surprised tomorrow. But please act like you are, yeah?”

“She  _ what?”  _ Theo doesn’t even know how to start processing this. “That’s not even what this is about. I’m just going to pretend like you didn’t just say that, I think that’ll be for the best.” 

“But what is it about, then?” Liam asks again. His face goes softer, almost sad. He closes the distance between them with two steps and takes Theo’s hand in his. “You being scared in my home is killing me, Theo.” His voice is barely above a whisper and Theo knows why. It’s because he’s afraid of it breaking. Because emotions break out of people sometimes just like that and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it. 

“Don’t do this, please,” Theo begs, “don’t let me make you sad on Christmas.” 

“Don’t let me make you afraid on Christmas,” Liam counters. Well played. Theo is staring at the floor. 

“You’re not making me afraid,” Theo whispers. “I am.” 

“How so?” 

“I’m just…  _ wrong.”  _

Sometimes you say things you don’t realize are true until you put them into words. 

“Wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time doing things I shouldn’t be doing, telling myself I can be normal. But it’s not normal to have to tell yourself that you are, you know?” 

“Is this wrong too?” Liam asks, squeezing Theo’s hand. “Are you the wrong guy for me? Is this the wrong place for us? Is right now the wrong time to be doing this?”

“You know I didn’t mean it like-” 

Liam doesn’t let him finish. “Does it feel wrong when I hold your hand?” 

Theo exhales deeply. “No.” Nothing has ever felt more right. 

“And when I kiss you?” Liam asks. 

“Never.” Theo doesn’t have to think about his answer. 

Liam lets go of his hand, but only so he can take his face in both hands, tenderly cupping his cheeks and stroking them with both thumbs until Theo looks into his eyes. 

“Don’t you tell me this is wrong,” Liam whispers before he leans in and kisses Theo on the lips. Theo would never say something so ridiculous, of course. Liam’s kisses are what makes the world beautiful instead of just tolerable. 

“I know a place where nothing is wrong,” Liam says, “come with me.” 

The place Liam means is the space underneath the sheets in his bed, and he’s right. Pressed tightly together, listening to Liam’s heartbeat and counting his breaths, Theo doesn’t feel like there’s anything wrong at all. Liam plays with his hair and Theo breathes against Liam’s neck. It’s so easy to forget the rest of the world, Christmas trees included. 

“I don’t know how to do it,” Theo whispers. It feels like he’s confessing his worst sin. Although it’s Liam, and he wouldn’t want it to be anyone other than Liam listening, there’s still no way to keep the shame out of his words. “The Christmas tree. And Christmas. And family.”

Liam doesn’t say anything, because he can sense that Theo isn’t finished. He simply continues combing his fingers through Theo’s hair. 

“It looks the same as when we bought it,” Theo finally admits. “I didn’t do anything with it. I didn’t know what. I didn’t know how. And if I can’t manage the tree, I can’t manage the rest. I don’t belong in your world.” 

Theo can’t look Liam in the eyes. He can only hide in the crook of his neck and pretend not to smell the deep, heavy sadness. And the one thing he hates the most, pity. Liam is good at not pitying him, usually, but not in that moment. 

“You know nobody gives a shit about those trees, right?”

“They do,” Theo replies. Because it’s true. 

“Because it’s a tradition they started, not because they need to know who’s going to decorate the prettiest tree. Come on, Theo, that’s ridiculous. You wanna know something? My Mom was left on Christmas. My father left her with a toddler on Christmas morning and never came back. David had worked through every Christmas until they met. They care about the trees because it’s their thing. Because now, when they think about Christmas, being left by my father and cancer kids who are too sick to be home over the holidays aren’t the only things that come to mind. The tree doesn’t matter. What matters that this is the first Christmas out of many.” 

“When did you become so wise?” Theo asks, because he can’t think of a serious thing to answer. 

Liam ignores his attempt at humor. “Promise me, Theo. Promise me there will be many.” 

Theo shakes his head, because it feels like a promise that’s too big to be making. 

“I’m not asking for trees,” Liam says softly, “or decorations. Or gifts. I’m just asking for Christmas. I don’t care what ours will look like. Just as long as you’re there. Promise me.” 

And to think that Theo used to be the one to pride himself on his ability to get what he wants from others. He has to smile. Sometimes he can’t believe Liam is real. 

“I promise.”

* * *

  
  


**December 25**

The nightmares didn’t stop immediately after Theo had moved in. He still found himself in places he wasn’t supposed to be in the middle of the night sometimes, sweaty and breathless, the tangible horror of a too realistic dream rushing through him. Liam found him, most times, brought him back to bed, tucked him in and stayed until he was asleep again. Each time it happened, the time it took to get rid of the horror grew shorter, and the sleep after became deeper. Now, Theo couldn’t reliably say when the last nightmare even was. 

Now, things are different. The supernatural part of Theo will forever be on alert, even at night, especially at night maybe, but the human side has found a previously unthinkable kind of peace. Especially in Liam’s bed, in Liam’s arms, surrounded by his favorite scent in the world, surrounded by warmth beyond the physical, Theo sleeps soundly. He dreams quite regularly still, but the dreams are good at best and at the very worst odd - never bad. 

Now, when Theo wakes in the morning, it’s not like falling and crashing and fighting for air anymore. Now, he gets to experience half-conscious dozing. At first, there’s only warmth and softness. Slowly, those things turn into a pillow, an arm, a shoulder, a neck. Eyes still closed, mind still drifting somewhere far away from reality, Theo pulls Liam close against his chest. 

Most other days, they’re both content to stay like this and cuddle until they’re ready to open their eyes and tell each other good morning in raspy voices. This morning, the peace is interrupted by Theo’s sudden realization that he fell asleep in Liam’s bed fully clothed instead of going back to his own room and solving his problem.

“Shit,” Theo curses, throwing and kicking away sheets and jumping out of bed while Liam growls at him, unamused by the sudden cold and hasty movement. 

“We fell asleep!” Theo starts rambling. “I was supposed to go back and take care of that tree. I was going to put at least  _ something _ on it. How am I going to explain to your parents that I didn’t manage that? Your Mom probably has breakfast ready by now. I smell waffles. Oh no. Oh shit.” 

“Mhmmmm, waffles,” Liam hums. Not helpful. 

Of course, Theo’s time is up a moment later when David climbs the stairs calling for his, “Booooooooys?”

“Relax,” Liam says, but it’s not doing anything to help calm Theo’s nerves. 

“There you are,” David says to Theo after he opens the door to Liam’s bedroom and finds both boys inside. Theo can tell he notices the clothes the chimera is still wearing, but if David thinks anything of it, he decides to keep it to himself. “Breakfast’s ready,” he declares instead. 

“It’s going to be fine,” Liam promises when David has disappeared downstairs again. He presses a quick kiss to Theo’s cheek and follows his stepdad. Theo’s head says Liam is right, his heart asks him over and over again,  _ ‘What if he’s not?’ _ , and his stomach, without being asked, insists on making Theo aware of his hunger and how wonderful it smells in the kitchen. 

“Morning, sugar plum,” Jenna greets him, ruffling Theo’s hair, which, by the looks of it, she’s done to Liam as well. “I hope you’re hungry. But first, let’s see those beautiful Christmas trees so we can have the right atmosphere.” 

Theo and Liam exchange a look. Just because Theo knows that, objectively, this is an extremely unnecessary thing to panic over, doesn’t mean he can stop the feeling. 

“Mom,” Liam says, “can’t we eat first? I’m starving.” 

“Are you sure? Theo, what do you think?”

Theo had once been trained in deception and manipulation, but he feels more than uncomfortable as he says, “I think that’d be fine. I’m hungry too. And those waffles, they look fantastic.” 

It’s clear neither Jenna nor David were planning to have breakfast first, but they take their seats without further discussion. Hot coffee, fresh orange juice, Christmas cookies and apple-cinnamon-jelly even manage to calm Theo down for a while. It’s a different kind of breakfast on that day, because nobody’s planning to leave the house after, and if they want to, they can sit and eat and share anecdotes for the rest of the day. Humans tend to do things that seem pointless from the outside if you don’t know what being on the inside feels like. Those kinds of things are Theo’s favorite. 

“We don’t really have to make a big deal out of the trees this year, do we?” Liam brings the topic up again when everyone’s done eating. Under the table, his knee touches Theo’s knee. “I get that you two like to be childish about something once every year, but I’m not sure Theo and I are as much into it as you.” 

Theo closes his eyes for a moment, hoping that Liam can smell the emotion overcoming him. He hasn’t said its name out loud in front of Liam yet, but they both know what it is: Love. 

“But honey,” Jenna replies, “we all put effort into our trees, right? We don’t have to make it a competition, but we’re still going to have them all around and enjoy them.”

“I like that,” Theo says, clearly surprising Liam with his statement. 

Liam wants to help, but even he can’t magically erase his parents’ memories of the tree in the corner of Theo’s room, so where’s the point? Anxiety has been building up inside Theo, which he’s not particularly a fan of, so he thinks that maybe, it’s time to rip the bandaid off. 

They start with Jenna’s. It’s beautiful, really. Theo’s first thought is that it would fit right in with those on the website he scrolled through. It has golden lights shaped like stars and red bows, but his favorite parts are the little figurines carved of wood and painted in white, red, green and gold. Reindeer, Santa Clause, presents, sleds, mistletoes. 

David’s is next. It’s blue and silver, laden with lametta and so glittery that Theo has to remind himself of the tree underneath. It’s a lot to take in up close, but once they’ve placed it in its designated corner, it adds something festive to the entire room. The topper is a big silver star, which, from the corner of Theo’s eye, makes it seem like a piece of the winter sky has entered the house. 

Liam’s tree has been there all along, but Theo hasn’t paid much attention to the single items adorning it. Liam explains the story behind some of them to him - there are ornaments passed down from generation to generation in his mother’s family, there are some made by hand or bought as a souvenir at a Christmas market in a different city. One is a snow globe with a picture of Liam, Theo, Jenna and David inside. Theo had kind of forgotten about its existence. 

“Before I show you mine,” Theo starts, heart beating against his chest like a drum, “I want to tell you that it looks different. But I’ll explain that in a minute.” The family follows him to his room. Theo can barely hear anything other than his own heart as he pushes the door open. 

They’re all looking at an empty tree. 

“So, I didn’t know what to do with it.” 

“Oh, sweetheart,” Jenna says, “we could have-”

Theo shakes his head, “No. Let me finish. I didn’t know what to do with it, because I haven’t celebrated Christmas in such a long time that I don’t remember the last tree I decorated. I thought that was pretty stupid, until Liam said something to me.” 

Liam is looking at him curiously, apparently now knowing which  _ something _ Theo is referring to. 

“It’s not about the tree,” Theo explains, “it’s about the tradition. I’m starting my own tradition right now.” From a paper bag sitting on his desk, Theo pulls out four thin, wood-carved shapes: a snowflake, a star, a crescent moon and a heart. He hands them out to everyone, holding onto the snowflake, giving Liam the heart. Then, he pulls out a golden permanent marker. 

“I’m going to write down what I’m most thankful for this year. And even if you decide to take part in this for me, it’s not going to be a lot of decoration for this tree. Not this year. But there will be more next year, and every year after that. One Christmas, I’ll have so many memories I won’t know how to fit them all in one tree.” 

With slightly trembling hands, he uncaps the marker and writes down  _ HOME _ in large, uneven letters. 

“That’s really beautiful,” Jenna says, tears glistening in her eyes as she takes the marker from Theo. David demands it after her and they both put their contributions on Theo’s tree before they leave Liam and Theo alone. 

“When did you get this idea?” Liam wants to know. 

Theo shrugs. “Don’t know. I saw these thingies at the Christmas market and I liked them because there wasn’t as much color, or glitter. And then you said those things to me last night. And then earlier at breakfast, I realized I didn’t feel wrong anymore.” 

“You’ve never been wrong.” 

Theo nods, “I’m trying to learn that, I really am.” 

Liam nods, smiles, and takes the golden marker.  _ THEO _ , he writes on the front of his wooden heart. And then, he turns it around and keeps writing:  _ The right guy in the right place at the right time. _

“I love your new tradition,” Liam says as he puts the heart on the tree next to Theo’s snowflake. 

“Can it be ours?” Theo asks.  _ “Our _ new tradition?” 

“Of course.” 

Theo wants to kiss him. He wants to take Liam’s beautiful face in both hands and kiss him until they’re both breathless, but the morning has left him shaky and relieved and overwhelmed and emotional, and so before he can manage kisses, he needs a minute-long hug during which he gets to hold Liam so tight he can feel his heart beating through his chest, during which he gets to bury his face in Liam’s neck and simply breathe him in. 

This, too, Theo thinks, should be part of his new tradition. Of  _ their _ new tradition. 


End file.
